The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Canny

 

John and I had a busy week last week.  This week ahead will be busy enough, too.  I caught myself wasting time while I was at home this past week simply because I was weary from all the activity we had in our week.  This week I'm hoping that I can better balance my time and get a bit more done at home.  

Work:

Zone 2: Living Room/Dining Room/Front Entry   I need to vacuum the edges of the room, and to dust.  It's time to use some oil on the wood pieces of furniture.  I'd like to get the books off the table and clean up my corner which has taken on the appearance of a pack rat' nest during the cold weather season.  Time to get it freshened up.  Last, I want to get into the cabinet where we store our records and Cd's and make that look nicer.  I hadn't noted before just how messy and cluttered it looks rather than organized.  I think I can do better with this area.

I'm not forgetting my plans to declutter in each zone I work in.

Get out in the yard and pick up limbs that have blown down over this winter.  

Family birthday party.

Go to Katie's to watch Caleb while she goes to an appointment.

Have Millie over at some point this week.

Apparently, I'm presenting at the small group on Friday.  I had no idea until I read a notice on Facebook, so I'll be editing a piece to read there.

All the usual housework routines.

Kitchen:

This is it, Tammy!  Time to get our canners out and actually learn to use them.    I plan to practice with canning water first and then I'm going to start thawing and canning broth from the freezer.  My book suggested starting with water as did several of the vlogs I watched.  That is more to get one used to using the canner and seeing how it works.  Will I put canned water on my shelves?  Why not?  I've been keeping bottles under the sinks for years and this would be fully sanitized and shelf stable.  Can't hurt...I don't want dozens of cans of stock either but it would be nice to have a little on the shelf.  And by the time I'm comfortable with both of those tasks, I should be ready to explore the possibilities of canning other things that will be welcome, like homemade soups, canned meats, etc.

One more birthday cake this week, this time for Isaac.  I made hamburger buns for his family dinner last week and froze them.  I'll need to bake a loaf of bread this week and I'm thinking I'd like to put some rolls in the freezer.  One of the old group, Thrifty Homemakers, shared a buttery roll that is rolled into crescent shapes, but is not a croissant, then is frozen and you bake a needed.  I made them twice I think and haven't made them since.  I'd love to have some in the freezer once again.  I would also like to bake a loaf of Mennonite Lady Cinnamon Bread.  I got that recipe from a program Katie loved to watch with me when she was little, called "Donna's Day".  We made several of her recipes and all were great successes, but not the Chicken Ground Nut stew...That one bombed big time.  Anyway, this bread is lovely and delicious, and I'd like to make half a recipe, so one loaf.  

Menus:

I barely made any of the meals I had planned last week.  This week I hope I'll be a bit better about cooking.  

out with John, then leftovers for supper

15 Bean Soup, Cornbread Muffins

John out, me on my own

Isaac's birthday: Cheeseburgers, Chips, Strawberry cupcakes.

Curried Chicken, Sweet potato, Peppers and Onions, Rice, Naan

Macaroni and Cheese, Broccoli, Salad, Rolls

out with John

Personal/Leisure:

Play in my wardrobe and work up some more outfits.  I'm going through them like crazy this month.

Work on some family information for the Cemetery project.

Continue to try and cut back on screen time.  I am enjoying reading, coloring, and would like to work on getting some information together to post on my genealogy blog.  I thought this week, once we get our monthly stipend (ha!) I'd run into the local dollar store and look for a jigsaw puzzle for myself.

I'd love to get a bit of alone time this week, time where I just run into a thrift store, or garden center, or any store at all, on my own and just browse around.  I am beginning to write lists of things I want/need for the house, but I am feeling a bit rutty lately, always going to the same places (church or grocery) and doing the same things.  I need to stretch to get outside my usual zone.  I just don't know if I can do that this week or not.  

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